Cattle-guard.



PATBNTED APR. 24, 1906.

F. V. GRIMBS. CATTLE GUARD. APPLICATION FILED 00T.3,1905.

Witnesses FRANK V. GRIMES.

OF CENTRA LIA, WASHINGTON.

CATTLE-GUARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 24, 1906.

Application filed October 3, 1905. Serial No. 281,144.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK V. Games, a citizen of the United States, residing at Centralia, in the county of Lewis and State of l/Vashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cattle-Guards and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to cattle-guards for use upon railroad-tracks," and its object is to provide a simple compact device of this character which will be automatically operated so as to extend above the track whenever an animal reaches a predetermined position in relation to the gate.

The invention consists of a shaft extending transversely under the track and having panels secured to it, said panels resting nor mally upon the ties. A sectional platform is located at the opposite side of the shaft and is supported at one end by devices which connect said platform with the panels, and these supporting devices are so arranged that when the platform is pressed downward the shaft will be partly rotated and the panels swung upward upon the rails, so as to form an obstruction to prevent the passage of an animal along the track.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter more clearly set forth, and pointed out in the claim, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which I have shown the preferred form of my invention.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved cattle-guard. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2 2, Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2, showing the positions occu pied by the parts when the platform is depressed.

Referring to the figures by numerals of reference, l is a rectangular frame adapted to be placed below the rails 2 and to extend laterally therefrom, and the side bars of this frame are supported by ties 3, two of which are conneeted by brackets 4. These brackets constitute bearings for a shaft 5, which extends across the track under the rails. Metal frames 6 are secured to the shaft 5 at points between and outside the rails 2, and secured within these frames are heavy metal screens 7, which with said frames form panels, which constitute the main portions of the guard.

The ends of the frames 6 project beyond the shaft 5 and are connected by links 8 with arms 9, secured to the bottom of and extend ing from the sections 10 of a platform. These sections are disposed between the rails and adjacent the sides thereof and have apertures along one edge for the reception of spikes 11, which extend loosely through said apertures and engage one of the ties 3. The weight of the panels is sullicicnt to cause them to he by gravity on the ties 3 and to support the platform-sections 10 normally in an inclined position, as shown in Fig. 2. When the parts are thus disposed, at car can pass along the track without being interfered with by the parts of the guard. Should an animal approach the guard from within the inclosure, it would first be necessary for it to assume a position upon one of the platform-sections 10. The weight which is thus added to the platform-section will cause the links 8 to press downward upon the ends of the frame 6, and shaft 5 will therefore be rotated and all of the panelsswung upward, so as to prevent the animal from leaving the inclosure by way of the track. \Vhen the weight of the animal is removed from any of the platform-sections,

the parts will return to their original positions. The ends 12 of the adjoining fence extend close to the frame 1 and along the sides thereof, as shown in Fig. 1, so that there is no possibility of an animal escaping along the track without first placing its weight upon one of the platform-sections 10.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination with ties having rails secured thereon; of a shaft rotatably mounted between two of the ties and extending under the rails, panels secured between and at the outer sides of the rails to said shaft, said panels having their ends projecting below the shaft, platform-sections located between and at the outer sides of the rails and having ap ertures along one edge, securing devices extending through the apertures and engaging In testimony whereof I have signed my one of the ties to movably hold said platformname to this specification in the presence of 10 sections todsaid t Iie,harm1s efxtending from th(ei two subscribing Witnesses.

opposite e es 0 t e p at Orin-sections, an

links pivote d to said arms and to the depend- FRANK GRIMES' ing ends of the panels, said panels adapted by Vitnesses:

gravity to normally hold the free edges of the J. H. ANDREW,

platform-sections raised from the ties. A. D. J ONES. 

